Pacific Lutheran University vs Pacific University

Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) and Pacific University (PU) are two distinct institutions of higher learning located in the Pacific Northwest, each offering unique educational experiences. PLU, a private Lutheran university in Tacoma, Washington, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to PU's 67%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with PLU excelling in nursing, business, and education, while PU is renowned for its pharmacy, optometry, and music programs. PLU's student body is predominantly female (58%), while PU has a more balanced gender ratio. In terms of graduation rates, PLU's four-year graduation rate stands at 63%, slightly higher than PU's 60%. To help you make an informed decision, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more, allowing you to assess which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Pacific Lutheran University	Pacific University
Overview
Location	Tacoma, Washington	Forest Grove, Oregon
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	79.0%	80.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Evangelical

Admission
Acceptance rate	88.4%	91.0%
Application fees	$55	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $39
SAT range	1150 - 1376	1090 - 1310
ACT range	22 - 28	19 - 27
Students submitting SAT score	11.0%	8.0%
Students submitting ACT score	6.0%	9.0%
Total number of applicants	3,220	2,266
Total number of admissions given out	2,846	2,063
Admitted students who chose to enroll	510	363
Yield rate	17.9%	17.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$63,563	$62,348
Average net price	$23,568	$33,523
Tuition	$46,816	$48,928
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,330 Meal plan: $6,481	Room/dormitory: $7,664 Meal plan: $6,228
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $34,413	96.0% Average amount $31,162
Students receiving federal student loan	45.0% Average amount $5,091	90.0% Average amount $5,415
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $15,835	10.0% Average amount $20,429

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,373 Men 36.2% Women 63.8%	1,741 Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
Graduate students	333 Men 27.6% Women 72.4%	2,010 Men 26.2% Women 73.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	61.2%
International students	1.3%	3.8%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,369	1,029
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Oregon Hawaii California Washington Colorado

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts	Health Professions Education Psychology English Language and Literature Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	69.4%	70.8%
Dropout rate	30.5%	29.0%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,084 Year 2: $92,632 Year 3: $86,573 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,051 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $79,254 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $69,659 Year 2: $68,875 Year 3: $71,075 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,461 Year 2: $54,053 Year 3: $64,188 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $51,494 Year 2: $45,082 Year 3: $52,405 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,050 Year 2: $46,556 Year 3: $51,610 Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $36,848 Year 3: $49,858 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,589 Year 2: $34,420 Year 3: $47,617 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,575 Year 2: $35,420 Year 3: $46,377 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $36,674 Year 3: $45,113	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $111,515 Year 2: $129,325 Year 3: $130,721 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $113,746 Year 2: $107,906 Year 3: $116,376 Optometry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $89,820 Year 2: $97,452 Year 3: $109,879 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $66,614 Year 2: $60,623 Year 3: $87,418 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $71,156 Year 2: $70,927 Year 3: $74,952 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $69,477 Year 2: $71,015 Year 3: $70,585 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,338 Year 2: $53,608 Year 3: $54,996 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,884 Year 2: $45,852 Year 3: $50,195 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,734 Year 2: $39,153 Year 3: $45,266 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $43,418 Year 2: $44,468 Year 3: $42,720

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.

Pacific Lutheran University vs Pacific University

Pacific Lutheran University

Pacific University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

Compare Similar Colleges

Find Colleges By State

Resources

About